Graduate Program Legislative Requirements & Procedures

Each graduate program follows its own process for securing the approval of its Graduate Studies Committee (GSC) for degree proposals. The chair of the GSC is responsible for endorsing and transmitting degree proposals to the Graduate School on behalf of the GSC. In the case of a new graduate program, an ad hoc committee consisting of at least five members of existing GSCs may develop a proposal. GSCs are encouraged to consult and seek the endorsements of the department chair(s), college dean(s), and graduate dean when developing a proposal, in addition to consulting the Graduate School regarding format and preliminary review. The following documents are required:

To add a new master's degree program:

To delete a degree program or degree title, a memo of the request including teach-out plan is required.

To add a new doctoral degree program:

To add a degree title to an existing degree program, you must complete the Existing Degree Program Title Change Request Form above and include a cover letter describing the change.

To add self-supported (Option III) track to an existing master's degree program:

To move a degree program or degree title to another academic unit, please complete the above Notification Form and include a cover letter describing the change.

To rename a degree program or degree title, please complete the above request form and include a cover letter describing the change.

To consolidate two or more existing degree programs, please complete the above request form and include a cover letter describing the change.

To change the Classification of Instructional Program (CIP) code for an existing program, please complete the above request form and include a cover letter describing the change.

To add a certificate program, please complete the above form and include a proposal for the certificate program. A one-page summary of the proposal for the Graduate Assembly is also required.

The proposal must be approved by the department chair or academic program director and the dean of the college or school; if more than one department or college is involved in the administration of the graduate program, then each chair or director and each dean must approve the proposal. It is then sent to the graduate dean for submission to the Graduate Assembly.

The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools' Commission on Colleges (SACS-COC) is interested in a variety of changes and follows a variety of processes and timelines; in some cases, the process must begin a year before the change is implemented. A degree program change may be a substantive change as defined by the commission- "a significant modification or expansion of the nature and scope" of the institution. If so, SACS-COC must either approve the change or be notified of the change before it is implemented. SACS-COC's policy and procedures on substantive changes are published by the commission.

The Graduate School Assistant Dean for Reporting and Governance consults the University's SACS-COC accreditation liaison when a proposed change is recommended for approval by the Graduate Assembly. The accreditation liaison works with the SACS-COC staff to determine whether the University must submit a letter of notification or an application for approval. The liaison advises the graduate program to prepare a prospectus, if needed and ensures that the president submits required documents to SACS-COC.

Proposals submitted to the Graduate School are referred to the Academic Committee, a standing committee of the Graduate Assembly, for review. The Academic Committee meets with the proposer(s) to discuss the proposal. The committee may suggest revisions, recommend approval to the Graduate Assembly, or decide not to approve the proposal. Proposals forwarded to the Graduate Assembly are then voted on at the next full assembly meeting. A proposal approved by the assembly and classified as minor legislation by the assembly secretary is forwarded to the graduate dean; a proposal approved by the assembly and classified as major legislation is distributed to all GSCs for comment or protest. A proposal that receives ten or more protests is returned to the Graduate Assembly for reconsideration; a proposal that receives fewer than ten protests is considered approved and is forwarded to the graduate dean.

For more information, please see the Rules and Bylaws of the Graduate Assembly above.

The graduate dean forwards the proposal to the provost, recommending either approval or disapproval.

The provost may approve or disapprove the proposal or may send it to the president for his or her consideration; all requests for new doctoral programs must be approved by the president. 

• If the provost approves the proposal, he or she sends the documents submitted by the Graduate School either to the president or to the UT System executive vice chancellor for academic affairs (EVCAA).
• If the provost disapproves the proposal, the dean is notified, with reasons provided.

The associate vice chancellor for academic affairs handles degree program proposals on behalf of the EVCAA; he or she addresses submissions to the THECB to the assistant commissioner for academic affairs and research. 

• To add a master’s degree program, add a certificate program, or change an existing CIP code: 
  • The associate vice chancellor at UT System forwards the documents submitted by the provost to the assistant commissioner at the THECB¹.
• To add a doctoral degree program:
  • After the UT System staff reviews the proposal, the UT System Office of Academic Affairs puts it on the Board of Regents meeting agenda. If the proposal is approved by the Board of Regents, the UT System forwards the documents submitted by the provost to THECB's assistant commissioner of the Academic Quality and Workforce Division.  
• To delete a degree program or degree title:
  • The associate vice chancellor at UT System notifies the assistant commissioner at THECB of the change. 
• To add a degree title to an existing degree program or
  To rename a degree program or degree title or
  To move a degree program or degree title to another academic unit:
  • The associate vice chancellor at UT System forwards the documents submitted by the provost to the assistant commissioner at THECB.

• To add a master’s degree program or certificate program
  • If the program is in engineering or will generate new recurring costs to the institution of $2 million or more over five years, the THECB staff reviews the proposal and makes a recommendation for approval. Proposals for formula-funded master’s degree programs with a budget of more than $2 million must be considered by the board.
  • If the program is not in engineering and will generate new recurring costs to the institution of  $2 million or less over five years, the THECB staff posts the proposal for public comment through the THECB Proposal Tracking System. If there are no comments within thirty days, the THECB staff adds the program to the THECB’s program inventory and the assistant commissioner at THECB notifies the provost that the program is approved; if there are comments, the THECB staff reviews the proposal.
• To add a doctoral degree program:
  • The THECB staff reviews the proposal and discusses any issues with the associate vice chancellor and/or University representatives. The review process may include a site visit, which is coordinated by the THECB. When the proposal has been reviewed by the THECB staff and approved by the Commissioner, it goes to the THECB's Committee on Academic and Workforce Success. That Committee makes a final recommendation to the full Coordinating Board for a final decision.  If the board approves the proposal, the THECB staff adds the program to the THECB’s degree program inventory and the assistant commissioner notifies the provost that the program is approved.
• To delete a degree program, degree title, or change a CIP code:
  • The THECB staff updates the THECB’s degree program inventory and the assistant commissioner notifies the provost that the change has been made.
• To add a degree title for an existing degree program or
  To rename a degree program or degree title or
  To consolidate two or more existing degree programs or
  To move a degree program or degree title to another academic unit:
  •  If the change will result in new recurring costs of $2 million or more over five years, the THECB staff reviews the proposal.
  • If the change will result in new recurring costs of $2 million or less over five years, approval is automatic.  The THECB staff update the THECB’s degree program inventory and the assistant commissioner notifies the provost that the change has been made.

The SACS-COC liaison notifies or seeks approval from SACS-COC if needed. For some substantive changes, notification of SACS-COC is sufficient; most substantive changes must be approved by SACS-COC before they are implemented. If approval is required, the proposal may be referred automatically to the Commission on Colleges for review and approval at its next scheduled meeting, or it may be reviewed by a commission staff member. The staff member may recommend approval by the commissioner or referral to the Committee on Compliance and Reports. If the proposal is referred to the committee, the committee may approve it, defer approval and seek more information, or deny it. A site visit by a Substantive Change Committee may be required. 

• To delete a degree program or degree title:
  • A teach-out plan that provides for the equitable treatment of currently enrolled students is submitted to SACS.

The provost notifies the Graduate School of the THECB's response.

The Graduate School notifies the graduate program, the Office of the Registrar/Official Publications (OP), IRRIS and others of the THECB's response.

IRRIS will update the mainframe degree/major code table as needed and notifies OP.

•  School/major code
  • The school/major code identifies the degree program a student is enrolled in or seeking admission to. A new code is needed when a degree program or dual-degree program is created and when an existing program is renamed or moved to another academic unit. When a proposal has been approved or acknowledged by the THECB, OP sends a questionnaire to the graduate adviser or graduate coordinator, who completes it and returns it to OP. OP updates the mainframe school/major code table as necessary and notifies the appropriate offices.
• Graduate catalog copy
  • In the fall of odd-numbered years, OP provides instructions for preparation of catalog copy. The graduate adviser and GSC chair must ensure that all planned degree program changes are made on the catalog copy and submitted for approval as described here. The graduate program must also submit any related course inventory changes through the Request for Change in Course Inventory system.
  • Catalog copy is due to the Graduate School by January 15 in odd-numbered years; the Graduate School forwards approved copy to OP by the following January 1. For example, copy for the 2017–2019 graduate catalog will be due to the Graduate School by January 15, 2017, and will be forwarded to OP by March 15, 2017